5 Famous Movie Aliens And The Actors Who Brought Them To Life
Movies have introduced some of the most unforgettable alien characters in entertainment history. Friendly visitors longing to phone home, menacing creatures stalking humans across galaxies, and bizarre interstellar beings have captured imaginations for decades.
Each iconic alien comes to life thanks to the talent and creativity of actors and artists who transform scripts into screen legends.
Explore the people and processes behind these extraterrestrial creations and discover how Hollywood turns otherworldly visions into cinematic magic that continues to fascinate audiences today.
1. E.T. – Pat Welsh
Pat Welsh lent her raspy, cigarette-weathered voice to cinema’s most beloved alien in 1982. Her unique vocal quality, developed over years of smoking two packs daily, became the signature sound of E.T.
However, the actual alien was a sophisticated blend of animatronics and puppetry that required multiple operators. Steven Spielberg chose Welsh after hearing her distinctive voice in a camera shop, paying her just $380 for nine hours of recording work that would echo through generations of moviegoers worldwide.
2. Yoda – Frank Oz
Frank Oz transformed a latex puppet into one of Star Wars’ most quotable philosophers. His backwards-speaking syntax and gravelly wisdom made Yoda an instant icon when The Empire Strikes Back premiered in 1980.
Oz spent countless hours under the set, operating the puppet while delivering lines that would become pop culture gold. The legendary puppeteer drew inspiration from his own drama teacher, giving Yoda that perfect blend of ancient wisdom and playful mischief that fans still imitate today.
3. Xenomorph – Bolaji Badejo
Standing 6’10”, Nigerian design student Bolaji Badejo brought the Xenomorph’s nightmarish grace to life in Ridley Scott’s 1979 masterpiece. Designer Ridley Scott discovered Badejo in a London bar, recognizing his unusual height and slender build as perfect for the role.
Badejo spent hours in the sweltering latex suit, creating movements that were simultaneously insect-like and eerily human. Though he never acted again after Alien, his portrayal established the template for sci-fi horror that filmmakers still chase decades later.
4. Predator – Kevin Peter Hall
Kevin Peter Hall stood 7’2″ and gave the Predator its intimidating physical presence in the 1987 action classic. His background in martial arts helped create the alien hunter’s distinctive stalking movements through the jungle.
Hall actually played two roles in the film, also appearing as the helicopter pilot at the end without the creature suit. Tragically, he passed away in 1991 at just 35 years old, but his portrayal of the galaxy’s most formidable trophy hunter remains legendary among sci-fi fans everywhere.
5. Close Encounters Aliens – Local Children
Steven Spielberg cast fifty six-year-old girls from Mobile, Alabama, to portray the peaceful aliens in his 1977 masterpiece Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Their small stature and natural movements gave the extraterrestrials an innocent, non-threatening quality that perfectly matched Spielberg’s vision.
The girls wore specially designed suits and masks, creating beings that felt genuinely otherworldly yet oddly relatable. Their gentle presence in the film’s iconic finale helped establish friendly aliens as a cinematic possibility, changing sci-fi forever.
